Back in 1980 the Conservative MP Iain Sproat had the same problem when he compiled and edited the first edition of CWW, although there were no media managers around then to do his bidding. Khan’s red-ball career has also set off at an impressive pace with Afghanistan recently earning Test status. Glamorgan just missed out on promotion last term, and with a newly formed coaching team in place and a world batting star ready for another stint, there is a genuine sense of optimism around the place.

Over the next 26 pages we preview the new season, analysing how the 18 counties are shaping up, speaking to a quartet of skippers about the challenges they face, picking out a handful of emerging talents, and profiling two clubs with big ambitions. There are profiles of all the head coaches, a look at how each county is shaping up for the new season, and fixture lists for the England men’s and women’s teams. There’s a lot of time to talk during matches, and we’d often play ‘guess the cricketer’: “This guy’s 40 years old, he averages 24 with the ball, his highest score is 74 not out and his lookalike is Frank Lampard. Wisden also reports on England's triumph at the T20 World Cup, to go alongside their 2019 ODI success, and on their Test team's thrilling rejuvenation under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. The 160th edition of the most famous sports book in the world – published every year since 1864 – contains some of the world's finest sports writing.The cherished reference book includes a thorough statistics section for every player and all counties, as well as profiles of the head coaches, and a review of how each county did last summer and how they’re shaping up for 2022. To others the book will provide heart and soul and colour to the black and white names on the scorecard.

Keep them up to date with the latest opinions, the best sports-writing and the most comprehensive reports on their favourite game. His fellow stalwart Stevens confessed to owning every copy of CWW since he turned professional in 1997, likewise Marcus Trescothick mentioned in the 2017 foreword that he had used the “iconic” book as a vital dossier in which to look up his opponents over the years.

Benefiting from a 6ft 6 frame, Afridi bowls at a great pace and generates some tricky bounce even on the flatter pitches in Pakistan and the UAE. As usual, Wisden includes the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the obituaries. Or try to keep a dry eye upon reading which animal Mason Crane would choose to be: “A tortoise, because they are always home. In Tests, he possesses the control and swing to control the scoring and keep batters under pressure.